Gelatinized explosive and process of manufacture



' atente ar. 18; 130

111 H. BERGEIM, F WOODBURY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TOYE. I. DU FONT DE NEMOURS & COMPANY, OF \UIIILMIN'G'IION', DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELA- 'WAREv in Drawing. Application filed June 27,

This invention relates to the process of preparing gelatinized explosives from liquid polyhydroxy alcohols and polyhydroxy alcohols having from fourto six carbon atoms 0 and more particularly to gelatinized explosives containing certain mixtures of these substances. 7

As is well known in the art, certain nitrated substances have been used extremely in the l manufacture of gelatin dynamite and other similar explosives. Among these may be mentioned nitroglycerine, ethylene glycol dinitrate, chloropropylene glycol dinitrate and tetranitrodiglycerine. Certain nitrosugars such as nitrosucrose, nitroglucose and nitrogalactose have also been tried for this purpose, but without success. These substances have been found to be unsuitable in gelatinized 'dynamites for the reason that they do not possess the high degree of stability required for this purpose, but on the contrary tend to break up and cause leakiness within a very short time. In a gelatin dynamite, as also in all explosives, a high degree of stability is not only desirable, but absolutely necessary in order that the explosive may be transported safely and that it may be stored ftir long periods of time without deterioration. Long experience has proved that gelatin dynamites containing the above mentioned nitrosugars and other similar substances thus far attempted to be used for this purpose possess the undesirable features referred to above.

This invention has as an object the making of gelatinized explosives which possess a high degree of stability and which will not deteriorate even after long eriods of storage. A further object is the e imin'ation of the diificulties heretofore encountered in the proobjects will appear hereinafter.

These objects are accomplished by the following invention which consists essentially in nitrating certain polyhydroxy alcohols and then gelatinizing the nitrates thus obtained with nitrocellulose.

As a specific example of the carrying out of my invention is giventhe following:

EwampZe.-An explosive oil is prepared by GELATINIZED EXPLOSIVEAND PROGESS OF MANUQACTURE 1928. Serial no. 288,800.

the nitration of mixtures of any of a number of polyhydroxy alcohols having from four to six carbon atoms with glycerine. For this purpose, for the purpose of illustration, I

prefer to use sorbitol. This may be of the crude variety which may be prepared by the well known method of the catalytic hydrogenation of glucose. Tho glycerine used may contain, if desired, any of the commonly used liquid polyhydroxy alcohols'such as ethylene glycol, glycerol monochlorhydrin and diglycerine. The actual ratios of sorbitol to the above mentioned liquid alcohols which I have found most useful in the preparation of the explosive oil are given in the following table: i

sorbitol glycerine to 90% to 10% to 90% to 10% to 90% to 5% to 5% to 90% to 5% to 5% to 5% sorbitol ethylene glycol sorbitol glycerine ethylene glycol sorbitol 45% to 5% glycerine 45% to 5% glycerol monochlorhydrin The explosive oil prepared as indicated by the above table is used in the preparation by the usual methods of gelatin (lynamites. T we specific examples of gelatin dynamites in which the explosive oil as prepared according to my invention is used may have the composition lndicated in the following table:

As heretofore mentioned such nitrated sugars as nitro-sucrose, nitroglucose, and nitrogalactos have proved unsatisfactory, but I have discovered that when such sugars are converted by hydrogenation into their corresponding polyhydroxy alcohols, products are produced which, when nitrated, are excellent explosives for making stable gelatinized explosives. These alcohols having from four to six carbon atoms may be produced by the hydrogenation of certain sugars such as sucrose, glucose, etc, but they need not necessarily be produced in this manner. I have found that one of therequirements in this particular is that, however produced, they must be free from such unstable groupings as aldehydic, ketonic, or carboxylic acid groupings.

According to my invention I employ the nitrates of the polyhydroxy alcohols which contain from four to six carbon atoms to the onzomononnongon, sorbitol,

oH.oH oHoH).oH.oH,

or dulci'tol,

oH.oH oI-IoH).oH.oH,

all three of which are optical isomers. Rham nitol, J CH (CHOH) CH OH,

another member of this series gives satisfactory results. These examples, as well as those to follow, are merely illustrative as I have found that many other members of these groups will produce nitrated substances of the desired stability. In the five carbon series I have found arabitol,

its optical isomer, xylitol and pentaerythritol,

(CH OH) C (CH OH) to fulfill the requirements mentioned. In the four carbon series I have found erythri-v tol, CH2OH(CHOH) CI-I OH,

a particularly valuable product.

In carrying out one form of my invention a mixture of polyhydroxy alcohols having from four to six carbon atoms and. liquid polyhydroxy alcohols is nitrated, separated, washed and then gelatinized with nitrocellulose. The product of the nitration may be mixed with various proportions of oxidizing salts such as sodium nitrate, sodium perchlorate, and ammonium nitrate, and also with various combustible materials. such as wood meal and starch.

While we preferbly include nitroglycerin and/or nitroglycol in our compositions, it will be understood that a satisfactory gelatin composition may be produced without the presence of nitroglycerin and/or nitroglycol.

In the examples given above I have selected sorbitol as a representative polyhydroxy alcohol having from four to six carbon atoms, but an equally stable gelatinized explosive can be produced from any of thepreviously referredto polyhydroxy alcohols containing from four to six carbon atoms when used in place of or in conjunction with sorbitol. lVith regard to the incorporation of the nitrated polyhydroxy alcohol having from four to six carbon atoms into the gelatin this may be done by incorporating it into the gelatin separately or in conjunction with nitrated liquid polyhydroxy alcohols or other desired substances making up the formula of the explosive.

It will thus be seen that I have devised a means of producing a very high grade gelat- I inized explosive from materials such as sugar derivatives. I have improved upon nitrated' sugars themselves, which are impractical as ingredients for commercial gelatinized explosives, in such a way that my new gelatinized explosive is one of unusually good stability. Although the polyhydroxy alcohols having from four to six carbon atoms which I use are derivativesof sugars they need not necessarily be made from sugars. However made, I have discovered that they are valuable materials from which to make gelatinized explosives. I have been.

able to overcome one of the most outstanding defects attendant upon the use of sugars or sugar like products in gelatinized explosives.

By the term polyhydroxy alcohols having from 4 to 6 carbon atoms I mean to exclude the sugars and also the polyglycerines' and polyglycols.

It is apparent that many changes may be I made in the specific embodiments of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof and I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the specific details explosive which comprises mixing a liquid mtrated mixture containing a nitrated polyhydroxy alcohol having from four to six making a gelatimzed carbon atoms with nitrocellulose.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature. FRANK H. BERGEN.

cellulose in thepresence of a nitrate of a polyhydroxy alcohol having from 4 to 6 carbon atoms.

3. The process of explosive which comprises mixing a liquid nitrate of a polyhydroxy alcohol with nitrocellulose in the presence of nitrated sorbitol.

4. A gelatinized explosive comprising nitrated sorbitol and nitrocellulose. v

5. A 'gelatinized explosive comprising a liquid explosive containing nitrated sorbitol and nitrocellulose.

6. A gelatinized explosive comprising a liquid explosivecontaining nitrated sorbitol,

l nitroglycerin, nltroglycol and nitrocellulose.

7. A gelantinized explosive comprising nitrated sorbitol, nitrocellulose, and a com-- pound taken from a group consisting of ammonium nitrate and sodium nitrate, and a carbonaceous substance.

8. A gelatinized explosive comprising nitrated sorbitol, nitrocellulose, sodium nitrate and ammonium nitrate, and a carbonaceous substance.

9. A gelatin dynamite comprising nitrates of polyhydroxy alcohols containing from 4 to 6 carbon atoms and nitrocellulose.

10. A gelatin dynamite comprising nitrates of polyhydroxy alcohols having from four to six carbon atoms, liquid polyhydroxy alcohols and nitrocellulose.

11. A gelatin dynamite comprising nitrates. or polyhydroxy alcohols of from 4 to 6 carbon atoms, nitroglycerine, nitroglycol, and nitrocellulose.

12. A gelatin dynamite comprising nitrates of polyhydroxy alcohols of from 4 to 6 carbon atoms, nitroglycerine, nitroglycol, nitrocellulose, inorganic oxidizing salts and combustibles."

13. A gelatin dynamite comprising n1- trated sorbitol, nitroglycerine, nitroglycol, nitrocellulose, in organic oxidizing salts, and combustibles.

14. A gelatin dynamite comprising n1- trat'ed sorbitol, nitroglycerine, nitroglycol, nitrocellulose, and a compound taken from a group consisting of ammonium nitrate and sodium nitrate, and wood meal.

15. A gelatin dynamite comprlsmg nitrated sorbitol, nitroglycerine, nitroglycol, nitrocellulose, sodium nitrate, ammonium nitrate, and wood meal. I

16. A gelatin dynamite comprising n1- trated sorbitol, nitroglycerine, nitrocellulose,

sodium nitrate, ammonium nitrate, and wood meal. p

17. A gelatin dynamite comprisingaliquid nitrate of a polyhydroxy alcohol, a nitrate of a polyhydroxy alcoholcontaining from 4 to 6 carbon atoms, and nitrocellulose.

18. A gelatin dynamite comprising a liquid nitrate of a polyhydroxy alcohol, mtrated sorbitol, and nitrocellulose.

65 19. The process of maklng a gelatinlzed 

